


Long Lost Friends, Brand New Siblings, And Pirates

by orphan_account



Category: Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Crack Treated Seriously, F/M, Flamboyant Gay Character, Hakuryuu never killed Gyokuen or got his second Metal Vessel, I do what I want, Kinda, Kouen Is A Family Man, Long Lost Friends, Long Lost/Secret Relatives, M/M, Original Metal Vessel, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Partially Deaf Character, Pirates, Trolling, Tsundere Kouen, Violence, obviously, trollfic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-13
Packaged: 2018-11-22 17:22:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 7,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11384856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Before I say anything about the story, I'm intentionally writing a story that I think will receive a lot of hate. If you like it, great. If not, well, GOOD! I want someone to hate it! Not usually my shtick, but I had a goofy idea that I liked and my friend liked... so there, meh!When Kouen comes to Sinbad with a request, Sinbad wants to strike up a deal. He'll help the Kou Prince find these twin brothers of his that are somewhere on the sea if in return, Kouen helps him get rid of this gang of pirates plaguing the area. But a number of surprises await both Sindria and the Kou Empire in the pack of sea wolves! How much will they regret this decision?





	1. Night 00

**Author's Note:**

> Kind of inspired by some old OCs I made a while back combined with this video...  
> https://youtu.be/pMhfbLRoGEw
> 
> Also, I am playing everything by ear. So I have no clue where this will go and neither do you, MWAHAHAHAHA!!!

"Sin."

He looked up upon hearing his name. Ja'far stood in the doorway to his office, looking a little flustered.

This had to be good.

"What's up?" he asked, standing.

"Prince Kouen is here."

It took Sinbad a minute to process that. Once he did, he started out of the office.

"Why, though? The summit just ended last week, and it seemed pretty clear that none of us were willing to get along."

"He says that he has a request. He doesn't have any of his Household with him, and only his basic guard, so I think he's serious."

This was interesting.

Sinbad couldn't help picking up the pace, curious to see what the Flame General wanted from him.

Kouen was waiting when he arrived, looking bored. But at the same time, Sinbad could see a rather strange tenseness to him. And that was odd, given how confidently relaxed the man always was.

"I'm told you want something from me?" he asked.

"Blunt, aren't you." Kouen replied dryly. All the same, he nodded. "I'm looking for my brothers."

"Koumei and Kouha are missing?" Sinbad asked in shock, feeling his eyes widen.

"No. They're fine, managing their respective armies."

"... I'm confused."

Kouen was quiet for a moment.

"... Our father was... promiscuous. The same year Koumei was conceived, he had an affair with a maid by the name of Mui. When our mother's pregnancy was announced, Mui found out that she too was pregnant and fled the country in fear. She wound up in a port city, and gave birth to twins there. We can't find much else... we know that the two of them became sailors about eight years ago, and have only returned home for brief visits when their ship passes by once a year. We only know this because we found Mui's old neighbors. She passed away three years ago."

"So you want to bring them to the Kou Empire with you?" Sinbad asked.

"If they don't wish to return with me, I have no right to force them to do so. My father and the Empress may have done so with our other siblings, but I have no intent to make them hate me. I'll give them the offer, but the choice is ultimately up to them. You know these seas much better than anyone else, and their ship often seems to hold Sindrian goods, or items from the Sindrian trade lines."

For such a ruthless man, he was quite the softy, wasn't he? Sinbad hadn't missed how one of the first things the guy had done after the fight with the Medium was heal his siblings and check on his troops. If there was one thing Sinbad was quite confident in his ability to do, it was read people.

And it was such a harmless request.

... He still couldn't make it a free thing, though. They were enemies.

What was there that he could ask of Kouen, though?

... Oh, hey.

"I'll tell you what," he grinned, "We've been having a bit of a pirate problem. If you help me knock out these pirates, I'll help you find these brothers of yours."

"A pirate problem?" Kouen echoed, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. It's all the same ship, if reports are to be believed. They terrorize any ship they come across, and all the reports I get say they're well-equipped. Magnoshutatt had been selling magic tools to bandits and pirates. It would make sense to think that this lot used theirs to accumulate more, creating an arsenal that would be virtually unbeatable by conventional means." Sinbad explained. "They aren't just in Sindria's waters, either. This ship appears to have a very wide territory, so there's a good chance they'd wind up harassing you too if left unchecked."

After a moment, the imperial prince nodded. It wasn't in agreement, more of him thinking over his options.

Sinbad watched him carefully.

A minute of careful contemplation later, Kouen nodded slowly.

"Fine. I'll help you take care of your pirates."

The king couldn't help but grin, nodding as he thrust forward a hand to seal the deal.

Looking like he'd rather do anything else, Kouen accepted the handshake.


	2. Night 01

Sinbad found himself pacing.

He, Kouen, Drakon, and Hinahoho were on one of Sindria's best ships, posing as a merchant vessel in order to lure out the pirates. They'd managed to plot a rough pattern based on the reports, and unless this ship was already sunk or had turned around, she should be near them and attacking at any second.

"You seem excited."

He looked up. Kouen was watching him.

"I suppose I am. I want to see what kind of magic tools these pirates have and stop them from terrorizing everyone. If we let them run loose, everyone's trade will suffer, and the world will be pulled into even more strife than it already is. Neither of us want that." he grinned.

Kouen said nothing, looking out over the water.

It was a nice day out. Warm and sunny, the water relatively calm and the wind good.

Perfect weather for hunting pirates.

If said pirates would show their faces already.

"Sir! Smoke to port!" the lookout suddenly bawled.

That made both of them look up, spinning about to look.

There was. A huge pillar of smoke, far enough away that they couldn't see the source. Whatever it was, it was burning, and in the water, you didn't want to burn.

"They must've gotten another ship." Drakon said grimly as he came over.

"We need to get over there! If it's the pirates, maybe we can catch them!" Sinbad barked, the ship's crew already scrambling to turn them.

Luckily, they had a few magic tools of their own on board. They could move a bit faster, and get there that much sooner.

About halfway there, the lookout yelled something again. Sinbad couldn't make it out over the din of the crew rushing about.

"What was that?" he asked Drakon.

"A rowboat's been spotted!"

His eyes widened, and he spun about to search the water, straining his eyes. It actually didn't take him too long to find them, with that one standing up and waving that cloth about.

The ship swung over, and Sinbad was one of the first to clamber down into the boat. There were only two people in it, a man and a woman. Both were singed and bloodied. The man looked like he'd been beaten, struggling to hold himself up as he gasped and coughed. The woman was sobbing, looking anxiously back and forth between them and the man. It took a little work to convince her that yes, they were friends, and yes, they could help him.

"What happened?" Hinahoho asked gently as Kouen pulled out his Phenex.

"P-pirates... they came out of nowhere... Our ship was blown off-course in a freak storm, and we had just gotten our bearings when they appeared! They had a navy flag hoisted, we had no clue until they boarded us! P-please, our friends... th-they're still on the ship! They sent us to find help, please, you have to do something!" the woman wailed, wringing her hands.

"How badly was he injured? I've done most everything I can and he's still in bad condition." Kouen frowned as the man collapsed in Drakon's arms, eyelids fluttering.

"He's sick! In the storm, he was tossed overboard, and he got a chill in the rain!" the woman fretted, shuffling her feet anxiously, eyes wide and teary.

"Is that why they sent you? To get him away from the danger?" Sinbad asked as he moved to help with the nearly unconscious man.

He froze, however, when he felt something press against the small of his back.

"Not exactly."

Before anyone else could react, the man had snatched Drakon's sword and was holding it to Kouen's throat. His gaze moved to Sinbad. More accurately, the woman behind him.

Sinbad lifted his hands up slowly.

"Aren't you cooperative? Keep this ship sailing straight, Your Majesty, and maybe we won't have to kill anyone." the woman said calmly, without a trace of the stress and anxiety from before. "Honey, get against the railing. If I tell you, slit his throat and throw him over."

The man nodded, slipping around to stand behind Kouen. Keeping the sword to the prince's throat, he walked them backwards until he was forced to stop.

"Why are you doing this?" Hinahoho growled, glaring.

"Not all of us were given the option to befriend the most powerful men in the world, sweetheart. Everyone has to make a living somehow."

There was a soft rustling, and some of the sailors looked away.

"Captain, we have them. You were right, High King Sinbad is here." she said.

 _"Good. We'll meet you halfway. If you need to throw a few people overboard to keep him in line, don't be afraid to."_ a slightly distorted male voice answered. Sinbad realized that she must've been using one of the stones Yamuraiha used. These pirates were well-off, if they could afford those.

"Aye, sir."

More soft rustling, and then the pressure at his back increased, the woman prodding him forward.

"So, what exactly is your end-game here?" he asked conversationally.

"Who knows." came the blunt response as he was moved over by the mast. "Your Metal Vessels, please."

"Huh?"

"We aren't stupid just because we're pirates. Take off your Metal Vessels, set them in that rope coil so they don't get lost. I'm not too worried about your friend, my husband will kill him if he even thinks he's going for one of his, but I have your Household on top of you. Take them off or I'll set this whole ship on fire."

Well, with a threat like that..

Reluctantly, he obeyed. Once he did, the pressure at his back eased up.

"Go stand near those two. Two arms' lengths away." she ordered.

"Ship ahoy!" the lookout bawled.

"Impossible..." he muttered as he moved to stand near Kouen and his captor.

"You said yourself that they have magic tools. Like the one she threatened you with. What's to keep them from having some to make their ship faster?" Kouen grumbled back.

The ship was silent as they moved, everyone with their eyes on the woman at the bow.

She was cute, Sinbad noted. Long blonde hair with a bit of a curl at the end, kept in a high pony. Tanned skin, with a fairly nice muscle-tone. They'd assumed from her story that it was from being a sailor's wife, but now it was obviously from being a pirate. She was nicely shaped and fairly well-endowed. His type, if one were to ask. Then again, most women were his type.

She wore a corset-like top and a somewhat tattered short skirt. Around her waist was a belt, thick and almost ornamental. It must've been where she would place her equipment as a pirate, but as a ruse, she didn't need that. On her wrist was a simple brass cuff with an amethyst set into it. In her hand was a rather small magic tool. It reminded him of one from Baal's Dungeon, only black instead of silver.

Curiously, he turned his gaze on her partner.

The man was surprisingly slight, with a lighter muscle-tone than her. He must not have been one of their heavy lifters. His short, messy hair was dark red, his eyes the same hue. There was a light smattering of freckles across his cheeks. He wore a plain shirt with the sleeves slashed off and long, loose pants. A belt matching the woman's was around his waist. Somewhat surprisingly, he wore no shoes at all. Perhaps he was a cabin-boy or something? He did seem rather subservient to the woman...

A shadow suddenly fell over them, the crew of the ship gasping and murmuring.

The pirates' vessel was huge.

"Yo, Sinbad!" a familiar voice called from the deck of the new ship. "Remember me?"


	3. Night 02

“Remember me?”

“Friend of yours?” Kouen asked, raising an eyebrow as he was released.

“I... don't know?” came the confused reply as three others jumped down from the pirate ship to theirs.

Kouen quickly identified two of the newcomers as Fanalis. It was obvious.

The third was a man around Sinbad's age at a guess. His hair was dark, chin-length and kept from his eyes with a bright red bandana. His eyes were a bright, inquisitive amber. He was shirtless, wearing only a white cape and matching pants, with a wide leather belt. It must've been a thing for his crew. His and the Fanalis's were both laden with small pouches, though. Probably the things they used when raiding ships.

“I'm sorry... We've met?” Sinbad asked the captain— who else could it be?— as he looked to his Household in confusion. They shrugged, apparently equally stupefied.

A low chuckle left the man. “Lollia, Koujaku, get back on the _Pryncess._  Emmett and Zee are here, I'll be fine.”

The two boarders nodded, moving to the bow of the ship. Ropes were lowered from the pirate vessel, and they climbed up. Their captain watched them with a rather fond smile before turning back to them.

“So you really don't remember me, Sin? I'm almost insulted.”

“I...”

Kouen couldn't say he'd seen the High King of the Seven Seas at a loss for words before. It was a rather nice experience, in all honesty.

“You don't remember the _Rozyn Empryss_ , or how she was lost at sea the one time you were too busy to wayfind for her? Captain Rikki and his son?” the pirate captain prompted in a playful manner, crossing his arms over his chest with a smirk.

Sinbad's jaw dropped.

“So you do know him.” Kouen stated bluntly.

“L... Luo?! Everyone thought you were dead! The wreck was never found, only four survivors in a longboat!” Sinbad said, stepping closer to the pirate. His eyes were comically wide.

“I still have trouble believing it myself. Sheer dumb luck. I clung to the figurehead and was washed up on a desert island with only four inhabitants— Torran exiles. It took two years for us to learn how to get along. Now they're part of my crew on the _Rosyn Pryncess_.” Luo grinned, shrugging.

“But... piracy, really, Luo?” Sinbad asked mournfully.

Luo looked to the Fanalis couple. “You two go back. Tell Lollia and Koujaku they have the helm and I have the second amulet. Let me play catch up with an old friend, wouldja?”

“Aye, captain.” the two nodded, turning to leave.

“And you can get your Metal Vessels, Sin. I told Lollia to get them off so you wouldn't kill her or Koujaku was all.” Luo nodded as the Fanalis scaled the pirate ship.

“Awfully confident.” Kouen remarked.

“I prefer trusting, Your Majesty. Sinbad and I go way back, I won't just outright attack him. And if things get hairy, every self-respecting pirate knows how to swim.” the captain shrugged, still grinning. “What I would like to know is why the First Imperial Prince and the Flame General of the Western Kou Subjugation Army is hanging out with his rival in business. But that's not important at the moment.”

“Hey!” Drakon barked as the _Rosyn Pryncess_  began to move.

“Don't worry, I told them to go. They'll cast anchor a few knots away and wait for me there while we talk.”

“Kouen was right, you are being ballsy.” Sinbad commented. He had his Metal Vessels back on now. “So, Luo...”

Kouen watched as yet another shrug was given. “The exiles and I tried being merchants, but as I'm sure you know, the trade is cutthroat. So one day, out of desperation, we raid a small ship and commandeer it. We tell the crew they can work for us or get tossed overboard and left to the mercy of the sea. Most of those guys are actually still around too. Piracy is addicting, once you try it. But we kept getting more and more desperate, more and more mouths to feed, more and more bodies, less and less food, less and less space. That's when we built the _Pryncess,_  and started getting serious.”

Half of that story was bullshit. If Sinbad couldn't tell that Luo was hiding something, the man was an idiot.

But from the expression on his face, he did know.

“Luo, you're causing a lot of people trouble...”

“I know.”

“And if you keep this up, you'll end up executed. I ought to do that now, y'know?”

“You won't.”

“Someone will, one day.”

“Have to catch us, first. And that's not likely to happen, mate. The _Pryncess_  is the finest ship there is.” Luo grinned, proudly this time.

“Luo!” Sinbad barked.

“Listen, Sin, I harassed you specifically for a while not just for Sindria's trade. I specifically wanted to see you, and let you know this is all your fault. If you hadn't told my father you couldn't make it, this never would have happened.”

That was low. Kouen narrowed his eyes, hand resting on Astaroth, as Sinbad flinched a little.

“But I don't blame you. Those girls were cute. At that age, I would've said yes too.”

... Of course. It wasn't like the ‘ladykiller’ thing had happened yesterday.

Luo grinned at Sinbad one last time before looking at him.

“So why are you two teaming up? Surely even the _Pryncess_ isn't worth a worldwide alliance.”

“The deal was that if I helped Sinbad stop you, he would find my brothers.” he answered curtly, drawing Astaroth for emphasis.

“They're sailors. Have been for eight years now.” Sinbad offered. Was he really expecting the pirate to help.

Much to Kouen's surprise, Luo tilted his head and asked, “Twins, redheaded, illegitimate, small port town?”

“H-how...?!” Sinbad's Household stammered.

Luo laughed as he turned away, waving, “You already met one of them!”


	4. Night 03

Kouha, Hakuei, and Judar would call it sulking.

He wasn't. He was thinking.

They were back in Sindria after meeting Luo. Kouen had learned a little more about the man. Apparently Luo had been a fisherman's son. Sinbad would regularly wayfind for them in rough weather, guiding them safely through the water. But one night, a storm was bound in and Sinbad had agreed to bodyguard a quartet of young women traveling from one city to another. Luo's ship, the _Rozyn Empryss_  went down, with only four of the crew surviving. A massive wave had pulled the ship under and battered it too much. Even the longboat had been in bad shape.

For Luo to have survived.

It would have made sense for the man to blame Sinbad. If Sinbad had gone to wayfind with his friend, then the _Rozyn Empryss_  would still, theoretically, exist.

But Luo had survived. And apparently found himself in the company of Torran exiles. For the Torran people to exile their own, the crime must've been extreme. Two years living on a deserted island with capital criminals was likely enough to turn anyone into something they weren't. Luo had said they were still with him, as members of his crew. They must've bonded well on that island.

Growling a little, Kouen dragged his thoughts back to Koujaku.

The man who'd held a blade to his throat.

The man who was apparently his brother.

He hadn't been able to tell. In all honesty, that name should have been a dead giveaway, but he supposed he was busier with the threat of being killed and tossed overboard in order to keep Sinbad in line. Or Lollia, the woman that had been in charge while they were boarded. She'd used two magic tools, hidden in the part of her chest. Which was clever, actually. With the top ‘slashed’ the way it was and everything else so revealing, no one would expect such a woman to have anything on her person.

But he'd been right there.

It was frustrating.

“Are you sulking?”

“No.” he said icily as Sinbad came to sit by him.

“I think you are!” the man grinned.

Kouen spared a second to glare at him, then straightened up. “The pattern we were tracking was deliberate. They were baiting you, so that Luo could deliver his message.”

“I still can't believe it. Twenty years, and I never knew he was alive! For that shy, polite kid that got tangled in the nets to be a ruthless pirate!” Sinbad lamented, taking a moment to drop his head to the desk. Kouen decided that the resulting thunk sounded rather hollow. “What was that about the trail being faked?”

“I went back further. Any report of pirates that I deemed unusual, I set aside, going back ten years. I didn't just pull Sindria's records, I had every record I could pulled. They've been at it for almost as long as you've been king now.” he explained, pushing the neat stack towards the other. “With ten years, there were a lot of pirate attacks, but there was something Luo forgot. Every band of pirates has a style that makes them unique. The style may have evolved as his crew has grown and they've gained magic, but the basics of it stay the same.”

“I see... They trap their victims somehow, making them unable to run away, and let them sweat for a while.”

“Then they begin singing. They may have a female portion of the crew meant just for that, given that the song rarely changes. From there, the tactic changes depending on their victims, but the first thing to happen is always the sails being burnt, leaving the ships relatively dead in the water even if they do get away. If these reports are to be believed, then in addition to those two Fanalis and any magic tools they have, they have at least three magicians. They've been described windsurfing, diving and carving hulls open, burning entire ships, using fireworks as weapons, and having at least four cannons on each side of the ship.”

“Cannons? But those are new technology developed in Reim just recently along with their gunpowder.” Sinbad objected.

“And seven years ago, a small, unassuming Reim military vessel vanished. Only two survivors were found, but they were too badly injured to say anything other than ‘a prisoner’ before dying. What's to have kept Luo from sending some of his crew to get captured deliberately? To be transported by a small, military scoutship that would move prisoners and experimental weaponry, so they could be executed?” Kouen pointed out. “He's already proven resourceful. If that was him, he could have developed his own brand of gunpowder.”

Sinbad bit his lip, appearing thoughtful.

“... This is all great info... but where does it leave us?”

Kouen couldn't help but smirk.

“In all their plundering, they've built up quite a territory. Within that territory, there happens to be a void. They have never done any pirating there.”

Sinbad looked to him in confusion.

“It's around the place where Koujaku and his twin grew up. The place where they stop every year for a brief visit.”

The High King's eyes lit up, but just as quickly dimmed. “You said the visits are random, though...”

Kouen pulled a map out from the stack of reports. “Because I didn't know their pattern before.” he declared triumphantly.


	5. Night 04

"This is where these brothers of yours grew up?"

"Yes." Kouen nodded. "The next visit should be within a week."

Sinbad nodded. Those transportation circles the Kou had certainly were useful, weren't they? They'd gotten here so fast...

"Well, Ja'far and Sharrkan are watching the bay. If the _Rozyn Pryncess_ or any of Luo's crew that we've seen show up, they'll contact me. But what are we doing here?" he asked.

He and the Prince were dressed down as they moved through the streets of the lower residential district. The city was busy, with trade ships coming and going. They blended in fairly well as a result.

"The local cemetery. Mui is buried there, and if they come soon, it's almost a given that they'll visit her grave."

"So we're going to ambush them while they pay their respects?"

Kouen leveled a cool stare at him.

Sinbad couldn't help but feel like a scolded dog. He cringed a bit, and Kouen turned away.

"Of course not. Even if they're pirates and therefore criminals, they should be allowed to pay respect to the dead in peace. If they show up, we'll wait until they've left and returned to wherever they plan to stay."

That felt just as low, but alright... he supposed he did ask for help in bringing the pirates down...

The cemetery was small. It was basically a plot of dirt with tufts of grass struggling to grow between small mounds marked by hand-sized stones. A few flowers had been placed on some of the graves. Sinbad had seen worse in his time, but it was still sad to see.

"I almost feel guilty."

Kouen didn't really answer, resting against the fence surrounding the cemetery.

"The _Rozyn Pryncess_ seems to be masquerading as a trader vessel around these parts. Bringing in merchants, buyers, and the economy. It looks like they need it, too. I wonder if that was a deal that your brothers made with Luo? Take care of their home and they'd lend their support?"

"Do you just like hearing yourself talk?"

"You never scolded Kouha for chattering, and he talked more than me at the summit!" Sinbad objected, eyes wide with indignity.

"Because his talking had purpose. Yours doesn't."

"... You're just playing favorites." he huffed after a minute, mimicking the prince and leaning against the fence.

There was no answer.

Sinbad huffed again, crossing his arms over his chest and watching the people go past. He tried to see if he could tell if any of them were pirates in disguise, but failed miserably. People had probably thought he looked like a pirate sometimes when he was younger. Anyone could look like anything but be something else.

A small group suddenly turned into the cemetery, picking their way delicately over the clustered graves to one in the corner. Sinbad turned to watch, looking for Koujaku or Lollia. Kouen elbowed him, growling something about being discreet. But there was no other way to look. Not really.

He couldn't see Lollia's blonde ponytail or Koujaku's short red. It must not have been them.

It would've been easier if they could tell the graves apart...

_"Sin!"_

He jumped a little as the stone in his pocket hissed with Ja'far's voice. Kouen elbowed him again, making him growl a little as he took it out.

"What is it?" he asked quietly.

_"Luo's ship just pulled in to port! Koujaku and Lollia are leaving alone, and it looks like half the crew is being left to their own devices! What should we do?"_

"Follow Koujaku and Lollia. We'll investigate Luo." Kouen said curtly, standing up and leaving.

"... You heard that?" he asked with a sigh.

 _"Yes. I'll keep you updated._ "

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter will be something a little different...  
> Koujaku's point of view!  
> I want the story to stay mostly Sinbad and Kouen's points of view, but they don't have much going on for the next few hours while he does.


	6. Night 05

Lollia guided him to the pub, settling him down in the corner they always sat in when they visited. He nodded, smiling at her, and she kissed his cheek. Her lips were chapped again. They'd have to make more of that balm.

As she went to get drinks for them, Koujaku sat down, running his hands over the wood of the table and the stone of the bench built into the wall. It always smelled the same here, no matter what. It always smelled like Balbaddan tobacco blends, cheap alcohol, sweat, and sex. He had yet to actually see anyone having sex in this pub, but maybe it was just residue from flings people had before coming for a drink. Or perhaps there were nooks people exploited, hidden from sight, but in view enough to be inconspicuous, and indulged in incomplete acts. That sounded like something Koutou would do, and he had to learn it somewhere, didn't he? He'd picked it up long before they'd joined Luo, long before Koujaku had married Lollia.

The wood was just as warped and splintered as he remembered as well. There were more off-color rings from mugs and tankards, but it was still the same. The stone was still grainy, worn smooth in places and chipped in others thanks to brawls. It looked like there was actually a gash on the table too, though it had obviously been turned to attempt to hide it in the shadows of the corner.

Lifting his head, he started watching the other patrons now.

He could pick out the regulars. There, the man who came every day his wife wasn't home. Another affair, then. He was lamenting the fickleness of women to his mug, hiccups distorting his words. Over there, the two prostitutes who didn't work for the brothels. They frequented the bar looking for customers, working as a team to score jobs. Perhaps there was a reason for the smell of sex. Especially given how they were chatting. Nearby, the fabric merchant who gave him his first job. Didn't remember him at all, and tended to exploit any jobless sap he could. It looked like he was hiring a few young teenagers. Slicing off a few numbers from their regular pay by explaining how they were only temporary and still young and inexperienced. The barkeep was arguing with a couple of what looked like nomads in cloaks. The barmaids were talking cheerily with Lollia, their former coworker, while they fetched the drinks she asked for. They were good girls, kept the barkeep in line and were good at halting most fights before they began. Not all of them, naturally, but enough that the pub wasn't destroyed nightly. They were probably the ones who turned the table to hide the scar.

The table jumped a bit as a large man collapsed laughing. He apologized, obviously wasted, as he got up, hands waving uselessly. He must not've been able to see clearly. Koujaku helped him find the table's edge to haul himself up, waving it off as the man's friends took him away with profuse apologies.

Lollia came back, offering him his mug. He took it with a nod, smiling again.

 ** _You always want to come to the noisiest of places._** she commented with a shake of her head. But there was no exasperation in her face.

Putting his mug down, he signed back, _**They don't bother me, and if it's noisy, it's popular. Popular places tend to have good things.**_

She threw her head back with a laugh. It actually cut through the low ambient hum of the pub, reaching his mind as a faint ringing.

Life had never been easy for him or his brother. Learning how to communicate in a world that didn't understand had been, for lack of a better word, painful. He had wound up staying home with their sickly mother most often, while Koutou went out and... well, did whatever he could to get money. Lollia had been a godsend, the girl across the street who found a book on sign and bought it just for him. She was always so sweet and kind.

It wasn't that he couldn't hear. He could. He just... couldn't hear like everyone else. It was all a deep, low, buzz. Certain sounds cut through differently, but most of it was all the same. Here in the pub it was a different pitch, more mellow and less harsh than just walking through the streets. He attributed it to the alcohol.

His being unable to hear made it pretty fantastic that Luo would want him on his crew at all. When the pirate had shown up out of nowhere, wearing his cocky, confident grin, declaring that he had just seen Koutou in action, Koujaku had been fully prepared to find a permanent job. But instead, he'd been told that the man had been in town for a while. That he'd been watching him, and was very interested in his abilities. The ones he had that let him read the weather, the shaking of the ground under his feet, and the very air around him. Koujaku had tried to deflect, tried to project onto Koutou. It was a chance for his brother to live better. It was dangerous, and if they were caught they would all hang, but it was a chance. Luo, however, had been very insistent.

It had been one of the best choices of his life.

Luo assigned him to navigation, with the Torran quartet of his crew. He'd been pleasantly surprised when he'd found they all knew sign already, and they had been in awe of his ability to tell the weather and the ship's condition. Lollia worked the helm, with three others. Together, they functioned as the first mate. Both of them had been hesitant to accept the position, given how Emmet, Zee, and the Torrans had been with Luo longer. But everyone had encouraged them to take it, especially Koutou.

What a kid. It was so hard to believe they were the same age sometimes.

Blinking, he returned to the present.

Nothing had happened, aside from Lollia being on her second mug. It was nice to be able to let go and not worry about anyone trying to take advantage of him. That was why he liked the _Pryncess_. She was safe, and he could trust everyone on it.

Smiling absently, he lifted his mug to gulp down the contents. It was watered down, to where he could taste the alcohol but wouldn't get sick. The girls here were wonderful, remembering year after year that too much alcohol made him sick. Not drunk sick, but legitimately sick. He'd been in bed for a week straight the last time he'd had straight alcohol.

He was so lucky to have such a wonderful family.

Putting his mug down, Koujaku realized something.

In all the cheerful bustle of the pub, there were two who were still and quiet. They sat in the corner opposite of him and Lollia. They both wore cream robes with green trim. One was pale, the other from Heliohapt. Both of them were watching him and Lollia intently.

Hoping they hadn't noticed that he'd noticed them, Koujaku turned to Lollia and gave her sleeve a tug. She instantly turned to him, face concerned.

 _ **Don't look, but we're being watched. The two in matching robes in the corner. We need to let everyone know.**_ he signed.

 ** _Aww, honey, don't you worry._** she smiled, pulling him close. **_It's not your fault we haven't had the time to try for a baby._**

He couldn't help but blush as she cupped his face. Her hands were rough, as to be expected of a sailor, but her touch was soft as always. The smell of wood, salt, and leather lingered around her. It was mixed with her sweat, making a smell that was uniquely Lollia.

 ** _Here, I'll go get you another mug. You just stay here and look sexy, honey._** Lollia waved, giggling as she headed over to the bar.

He watched carefully as she collected a too-full mug from the girls and started back. As she did, a rather drunken merchant got in her way. Rather than sidestepping in order to avoid him, like she could have and would have under any other circumstance, Lollia ran right into him. The man yelled angrily, grabbing at Lollia's arm. She yelled back, dropping the mug so she could slap him. The merchant's friends jumped up, roaring angrily. The locals, who knew her, and men looking to do good deeds for a young lady jumped to Lollia's defense.

In a few short moments, a full-blown brawl was started.

The two in the corner jumped up, and were pulled quickly, unwillingly, into the fight.

Good.

Koujaku ducked out of the pub. Hurrying into a nearby alley, he pulled out the red fireworks from his belt. It only took a moment to set a few up, and another moment to light them. He left the alley just as the first one took off, a small burst of hot air assaulting the back of his neck. Lollia was just getting out of the pub. He nodded to her, turning towards the docks and starting to run. She was right at his side, their hands brushing every once in a while as everyone stopped to stare at the red flares above.


	7. Night 06

They had been on their way to the docks when the flares had lit up the sky in bright red.

Seconds later, Sinbad's Household had contacted them, yelling that Koujaku and Lollia had gotten away.

Which was why they were running now.

Those flares were a signal, anyone with a brain could tell that. They said that it was time to go, that things had gone south.

If they didn't hurry, Luo and his crew would be gone without a trace.

"Nyahoo!"

"Ack!"

Kouen skidded to a halt, spinning around.

Flipping easily off of the flattened Sinbad was a young man with hair the exact same shade as his own.

"Found ya!" he crowed, grinning wildly. Compared to the cold and collected Koujaku, this one seemed almost feral. There was something about him reminiscent of Kouha, with that grin and those eyes.

Sinbad leapt up, face burning, before Kouen could say anything. "Y-you! What was that for?!"

His brother laughed. "You're the tall, dark, and handsome one! You get it, right, ladykiller? If you see something cute, you wanna get to know it!"

Kouen had never heard Sinbad shriek like that before as he held the High King back. He didn't quite understand, but they couldn't just kill him...

He was more muscled than Koujaku. His skin was darker. There was a scar on his lip. His hair was longer, braided against his skull and pulled into a beaded tail that fell halfway down his back. He wore a shirt similar to Koujaku, with the sleeves slashed off, but it looked like someone had sloppily stitched colorful flowers around his neckline and down his chest. Over his pants, he wore what looked to be a short skirt. His belt, like Luo and the Fanalis's had been, was filled with small pouches. In his hand was a short dagger.

"And you must be my big bro, the prince! Least, that's what Luo says!" the man grinned. "Y'know, you're really cute! I'd tap it!"

That he got.

"What did you do to make this one so furious?" Kouen asked, jabbing Sinbad in the ribs to get him to shut up.

"He shoved his dick in my face!" Sinbad shrieked.

"I suppose it was bad etiquette, since you don't even know my name. I'm Koutou Weng... or is that Ren, now?" his brother laughed.

Kouen had no response other than to shake his head.

"Come on. You wanted to catch Luo, didn't you?" he told Sinbad, casting a glance up at the fading smoke and sparks.

"Can't let ya do that, bro." Koutou grinned before lunging forward.

He was fast. Both of them had blocked, Astaroth and Baal crossing as they came up. But that didn't change the fact that Koutou was right on top of them. He shouldn't have been too surprised by this, pirates had to know how to fight at least a little. But Koutou was no longer just on top of them, using his momentum to flip nimbly over them.

That grin hadn't dropped.

"You can't get to the _Pryncess_ without getting through me, and that's not likely to happen, bro. I don't see you cuties using those fancy djinn equips in this populated area. Man, wouldn't that be a blow to your reputations? No one wants a king who just blows shit up!"

He found himself exchanging a look with Sinbad.

Koutou was right. He had the upper hand, knowing the area and with whatever tools he had in that belt.

They would have to hope their swordsmanship was better than his tumbling.

"Now what?" Sinbad asked, scowling.

"We don't need to fight him. The djinn equips can outrun him easily and put us right on that ship."

After a moment, Sinbad grinned cheekily.

Koutou, on the other hand, just laughed. "You're really going that far for one set of pirates? That just screams of desperation!"

"Boy! Shut up!"

Footsteps thumped past on the rooftops above.

The Fanalis.

"You'll get left behind, boy!"

"I'm fine, Emmet! I can handle myself!" Koutou yelled indignantly after them.

"The baby of the crew, then?" Sinbad snickered.

"Don't you wish, hot stuff? I'm more than a boy, or don't you remember?"

Kouen groaned as Sinbad launched himself at the pirate.

This would take a while.


	8. Night 07

This was stupid.

He was aware that this was stupid.

But Sinbad wasn't just going to let this cocky little prick treat him like that and then run off laughing. Maybe if it had been serious, he could have understood. But this flamboyant circus freak... he was treating it like a joke! Like his own sexuality was a big gag!

Which was why he was chasing him now.

Koutou cackled, spinning around to wave without missing a beat.

“Get back here!” Sin yelled, vaulting over a cart that got in the way.

“Aww! Shouldn't ya at least treat me to dinner before trying to elope?”

“Don't twist my words!”

Koutou swung around a corner, hooting with delight.

Before Sinbad could go to follow him, Kouen appeared. The prince was using Astaroth's equip, and had shattered the ground a bit when he landed.

“You realize that Luo is getting away, don't you?!” Kouen snapped.

It took him a moment to actually comprehend what was being said. Once he did, he mentally kicked himself.

Koutou had been trying to distract them. While Kouen hadn't bought it, Sinbad realized that he'd fallen head over heels for the pirate's shenanigans. The flamboyant act was probably a gag just to get his goat.

Well, it had worked...

“C'mon!” Kouen ordered, taking off again.

“Right!” he nodded, equipping his own djinn. If the _Pryncess_  was leaving, then Koutou was effectively stranded. Ja'far and Sharrkan could take care of him.

It took him a moment to catch up to Kouen. Well above the port, he could see Luo's ship already setting out to sea. It was a good thing the prince had stopped him. Any later and they'd be gone.

Flying at top-notch, it still took them a while to catch up. As they drew even with the huge ship, Sinbad noticed signs of a magic tool being built into the ship. A lot like Aum Madura, then, if they were powering it with the crew's magoi. But it was getting the job done, letting the _Rosyn Pryncess_  move fast, especially for her size.

The crew had noticed them. They were preparing for a fight, it looked like.

Sinbad didn't know about Kouen, but he had no intention of killing any of these people. He could easily render all of them unconscious with Zepar. Then all of them could be arrested properly. Including Luo.

“Hey!” he yelled, drawing the prince's attention. “I'll use Zepar—”

Without warning, Kouen jerked, hissing.

A brightly colored blue bloom stood out in his rib-cage.

Not even seconds later, his djinn equip evaporated, and Sinbad was forced to dive in order to catch him.

“Kouen! Oi!” he yelled, giving the redhead a slight shake. He got no answer. “Hey, c'mon— Ouch!”

A bright yellow puff was blossoming cheerfully on his arm. It was a dart, he realized. It looked like a flower, matching the blue one still in Kouen's side.

His head was ringing.

Everything felt heavy.

His grip slipped on Kouen and Baal, and suddenly the wind was rushing past.

Just as suddenly, it wasn't. But he was too tired to really notice...


End file.
